We know that Damian Green’s details were on the database of internet sex cheat website Ashley Madison. He has claimed the way this information got onto the site, including his mother’s maiden name, was nothing to do with him.

His listing on the Tory Sleaze spreadsheet adds that he is “handsy at parties”, and the allegations of Kate Maltby suggest there may be something in that claim.

There was certainly enough for Theresa May to launch a Cabinet Office inquiry into the behaviour of the First Minister, who is essentially her deputy – and the latest claim arises from that.

Because now we have the claim that pornographic material of an extreme nature was found on one of Mr Green’s Commons computers during a police inquiry into leaks in 2007.

He’s saying this because Mr Quick, who resigned his post after he was photographed entering 10 Downing Street, carrying a secret briefing note on which details of the undercover operation into Parliamentary leaks could be seen, was later forced to apologise for claiming that the Conservative Party was trying to undermine him.

Mr Green’s counter-allegation is that Mr Quick “harbours deep resentment” about the way the press treated him during the leak investigation.

Green said: “This story is completely untrue and comes from a tainted and untrustworthy source.

“I’ve been aware for some years that the discredited former assistant commissioner Bob Quick has tried to cause me political damage by leaking false information about the raid on my parliamentary office.

“No newspaper has printed this story due to the complete lack of any evidence.

“More importantly, the police have never suggested to me that improper material was found on my parliamentary computer, nor did I have a ‘private’ computer, as has been claimed.

“The allegations about the material and computer, now nine years old, are false, disreputable political smears from a discredited police officer acting in flagrant breach of his duty to keep the details of police investigations confidential, and amount to little more than an unscrupulous character assassination.”

Yet Mr Quick has been invited to give evidence.

And, considering the allegations that Tory whips have covered up crimes by their party’s MPs, perhaps he had a reason for making his claims public in advance.

It is possible – I put it no more strongly – that Mr Green’s comments are an attempt at damage control in advance.

What will he do if other evidence comes to light in the course of the inquiry?

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